Architect and writer Gautam Bhatia's series of rants against our unplanned cities (read the 'City Centre' articles here ) concluded in Business of Life last month. A recurring grouse is that "in dimension, scale, numbers or aesthetics, what people want and what the city offers are opposing...

The son, a fresh grad picked up from college looked pretty smug to see that his company, an FMCG, figured in a sector that is likely to beat the recession. He also realized he was part of a lucky batch that saw campus recruitments at the graduate level. Not one to let the poor boy breathe easy in that...

My sprightly 70-year old father is just not the cribbing sort. But one thing that he does tend to feel a bit sore about is Indian recruiters’ penchant for ignoring resumes sent by ‘seniors’. Inspite of skillfully juggling three assignments, he still subscribes to Employment News and religiously goes...

Coca-Cola, beverage giant, which seemed to have lost its design savvy in the absence of consistent global design standards: 1. It is trying to boost income through the marketing mileage of good design. 2. Its design leaders are tirelessly advocating good design. 3. It has begun a review of the 350 brands...

Baugur, the Icelandic retail investment group with strategic investments or controlling stakes in retailers, department stores, jewellery chains, womenswear chains, and fashion conglomerates: 1. It makes an overwhelming majority of its investments in food, department stores and fashion chains. 2. It...

Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector company that is highly profitable but still under increasing cost pressures: 1. It has always been very prudent about costs. It has set world records in low project execution costs. 2. It has taken up high costs as a major issue, especially in its...

Blizzard Entertainment, creator of a string of best-selling, industry-shaping PC games including the world's most popular and profitable online game, World of Warcraft: 1. It makes fun games that are easy enough for casual players and deep enough to attract and hook hard-core players (Simple to learn...

News that Oswal Retail, a subsidiary of Punjab-based Oswal Group, has decided to shutter its "innerwear" business and close 22 exclusive Straps outlets didn't quite get the same attention that the breathless coverage India media gives to retail expansion. Indeed, it was just last September...

Strauss Group, an Israeli coffee outfit: 1. It has boosted income in the past through cooperation (with Danone in yogurt; with Unilever in ice cream). 2. It ventured into the larger and fragmented wholesale roast and ground coffee market instead of the instant coffee market dominated by Nestle and Kraft...

Soho China, Hong Kong-listed commercial property developer: 1. It focuses on commercial mixed-use properties in Beijing that include retail space as well as integrated office and residential units. 2. It focuses on prime locations - particularly the city's central business district 3. It will increase...